meatless monday featuring roasted mushroom asparagus stack

I cook meatless all the time, this week it just happened to fall on a Monday (ok, actually it was a Sunday, but that means Monday in blogtime so enough already.)

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like feeling too tied down by titles, labels, or headings (or deadlines, speed limits or responsibilities in general if you know what I mean.) Meatless Monday, smeatless smonday. I cook meatless when I want.

‘cept for marriage. that label’s for reals. 😉

I love this recipe because it really packs a flavor punch with minimal ingredients.

Garlic lovers embrace.

And there’s not much hands on time so you can enjoy a bounty of wine, crackers and cheese, which is probably my most favorite meal. I mean snack, appetizer, side dish?

Whatever, I’m not gonna lie, whenever Lui goes out of town, I go to town on fancy cheese, salami, crackers and red wine.

Crazy? No, what I really mean is, um, you can skip the garlic and just use shallot (they are pretty much a garlicy mild onion anyway) and I think you’ll be all good. And you’ll smell better than the rest of us so that’s a plus, right?

Now I know this isn’t necessarily substantial enough for a dinner dish, but alongside crackers, cheese and a few glasses of wine I surely felt satisfied.

Next time I might just boil up some whole wheat pasta and let these fellas meet. Grated Parmesan and starchy water will create a light sauce while shaved Toscano black pepper cheese finishes it off. (Seriously love this cheese, my blogging friend, Justina, brought it over while we created this dish. Amazing!)

Quality definitely surpasses quantity in my book and if you’re into simplicity and spring and mushrooms and garlic, you’ll be in food heaven.

Join me?

~l

When do you do meatless?

meatless monday featuring roasted mushroom asparagus stack

by lafig

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Ingredients (2-4 servings)

2 large portabella mushroom tops, sliced about 1/2 inch thick

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. asparagus spears, halved

2 tsp grapeseed oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

cheese shavings (Toscano black pepper, Pecorino, Parmesan, etc.)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, mince the garlic and shallot. Set aside.

Slice the mushrooms, place in a medium bowl. Cut the bottom inch off the asparagus at a diagonal (save, freeze and add to a soup later,) cut the spears in half at a diagonal. Set aside.